The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-04-29
ANTS.

/ ANTS.
There be four things which are little upon
1 the earth, but they are exceeding wise. The
ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare
! their meat in the suinmer.-ProY. xxx, q, p.
/ The species named Agricultural" is a
| large brownish ant. When it has selected
n situation for its habitation, If on ordi-
nary dry ground, it bores hole, around
which it raises the surface three and some
times six inches, forming a low circular
mound having very gentle inciinat ion
from the centre to the outer border, which
on an average is three or four feet from
! the entrance But if the location is chosen
! on low. fiat, wet land liable TO inundation,
though the ground may be perfectly dry at
/ the time the ant sets to work. it neyerthe-
| less eIeyates the mound, in the form of
| pretty sharp cone the height Of fifteen or
! twenty inches, and makes the entrance
near the summit. Around the mound in
either case the ant clears the ground Of all
distractions levels and smooths the sur
face to the distance Of three or four feet
from the gate of the city, giving the space
a handsome appearance. Within this area
not a blade of any green thing is allowed
to grow, except single species of grain
bearing grass. Having planted this crop
| in circle around, and two or three feet
! from the centre of the mound, the insect
! tends and cultiyates it with constant care.
cutting away all other grasses and weeds
that may spring up amongst it and all
! around outside Of the farm-circle to the ex-
| tent Of one or two feet more. The eult-
waited grass grows luxuriantly, and pro-
| duces heavy crop of small, white, flinty
seeds. which under the microscope very
closely resembles ordinary rice. When
ripe. it is carefully harvested and carried
| by the workers, chat and all, into the
granary cells, where it is Invested of the
chaff and packed away. The chat is
taken out and thrown beyond the limits of
the area. During protraeted wet weather,
it sometimes happens that the provision
stores become damp, and are liable to
sprout and spoil. In this case, on the first
fine day the ants bring out the damp and
damaged grain, and expose it to the sun
till it is dry, when they carry it back and
pack away all the sound seeds, leav-
ing those that have spruuted to waste.
| Now, there can be no doubt of the fact,
that the particular species OF grain bearing
grass, mentioned above, is intentionally
planted. In farm-like manner the ground
upon which it stands is carefully Invested
of all other grasses and weeds during the
time it is growing When it is ripe, the
grain is taken care of, the dry stubble cut
away and carried of, the area being left
unencumbered until the ensuing autumn,
when tho same ''ant-rice' reappears with
| in the same circle and receives the same
agricultural attention as was bestowed up
on the previous crop; and so on year after
year, as know to be the ease. in all stu
! ations where tie ants settlements are pro-
tected from graniYorohs animals. My
conclusions have not been arrived at from
/ hasty or careless observation. nor from
seeing tie ants do something that looked
little like it, and then guessing at the re-
suits. have at all seasons watched the
same ant-cities during the last twelve
| years. and know that what have stated
I is true. visited the same cities yester-
DAY, and found the crop Of ant-rice grow
ing finely, and exhibiting also the signs
of high cultivation, and not blade Of any
other kind of grass or weed was to be seen
within twelve inches of The circular row OF
! ant-rice -,Jouraai Qfthc LiRHaaa Society.
Black silk may be sponged with decoc-
ton OF soap bark and water, if very dirty,
and hung out to dry; or If only creased and
needing to be freshened, weak berax water
Tor alcohol, and where possible, it is better
pressed by laying pieces smoothly and
passing them through the clothes wringer
screwed very tight. If you must iron, do
it after the silk is dry, between two damp
pieces of muslin; the upper one may better
be Swiss that you may see what yol are
doing through it. This is a little more
trouble than ironing the wrong side efsilk,
but you will be repaid; the hot iron gives
the silk parer-likc feeling; above all,
never iron silk wet. or even when very
damp.